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(No Modem l L. SMITH.

SHBARS SHARPBNER. No. 585,942. Paten-ted July 6 4189'?.

- invention.

IINTTnn STATES PATENT @Erica ABRAHAM L. SMITH, on Nnw YORK, N. Y.

SHEARS-SHARPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,942, dated July 6, 1897.

Application filed April 8, 1896. Serial No. 586,737. (No model.)

T0 ctZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shears-Sharpeners, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act specification.

This invention relates to sharpening devices for shears and scissors; and its object is to provide a means inv compact form whereby the two blades of a pair of shears or scissors maybe effectively sharpened at one operation.

I/Vith these objects in view my invention consists of two pieces of material secured together and having means upon each piece to sharpen a single shears or scissors blade, the other piece serving as a guide only for each sharpeningpiece.

I am well aware of the old method of sharpening a single knifeblade at the point of intersection of two crossed pieces of metal, but the operation of my device is quite distinct therefrom, and its purpose is, in fact, to sharpen simultaneously the twoblades of a pair of shears or scissors, whereas it would not serve to sharpen a knife-blade.

In order that my invention may be properly understood and explained in detail, I have annexed hereto a sheet of drawings,in which- Figure l is a perspective View showing my Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, also showing in section the blades of a pair of scissors; and Fig. 3 is a side view partly broken away to show a means for holding thetwo pieces against movement.

My said invention consists of two pieces of preferably hardened steel d and b. The said pieces are placed side by side and secured together by a screw c or by any other suitable means. Preferably at the point where a hole is formed through said pieces a and b to receive a securing-screw c or other piece the metal around the edges of such hole on the outer surface of said pieces a and is countersunk, as indicated at CZ d, to enable a better hold or purchase of the device to be had by the iinger and thumb.

As will be perceived in the drawings, each of the pieces a and b is bounded by two rightangular lines e and f, forming, approximately,

a triangle, their hypotenuse line consisting of an outwardly-curved edge g, as shown. Preferably the terminating point between the lines f and g is cut oft' and substituted by an edge h, arranged right angularly to the line f. The hypot-enuse edge is preferably inclined at an acute angle, ranging from the outer to the inner surface of each piece a and b, the said angle being plainlyindicated in the crosssectional view shown in Fig. 2. The said edge g is provided with file-like cross-cuts or serrations c', the said crosscuts being preferably disposed at an angle to the ends of the sharpener.

In order that the pieces a and b when secured together as indicated may be prevented from moving independently of each other upon their pivot-like connection, means, as a pin or rivet j, in one of said pieces and a socket in the other of said pieces to receive said pin or rivet may be provided.

In the operation of the device the pieces a and l), constructed substantially as described, are held between the thumb and foretlnger of one hand and a pair of scissors is held by the other hand of the operator. Then by applying the scissors to the device in the manner indicated by the cross-section of blades 7c and Z in Fig. 2 and applying the ordinary cutting movement to said blades said blades will be sharpened by contact with the file-like edges g. It will be seen that each of said edges acts to sharpen one blade and that the inner surface of the other of said pieces serves to guide the blade being sharpened and plays no part in the function of sharpening that particular blade.

In the drawings the device is represented as a Sharpener for left-hand shears or scissors, and for right-hand shears or scissors the relative positions of the pieces a and l) must be reversed.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is- 1. A shears or scissors sharpener, consisting of two pieces of material connected together, each of said pieces serving as a sharp ener for one blade of a pair of shears or scissors and as a guide for the other blade of said pair of shears or scissors, substantially as set forth.

2. A shears or scissors sharpener consist- IOO ing of two pieces of metal connected together, l In testimony that I claim the foregoing I said pieces having meeting, beveled, le-like have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of edges, and eaoh of said pieces serving as a March, 1896.

Sharpener for one blade of apair of shears or A. L. SMITH. 5 scissors and as a guide for the other blade of Witnesses:

such pair of shears or scissors, substantially F. W. BARKER,

as set forth. T. BRIDGWATER JONES. 

